Patience is required as the West Indies rebuild continues

NICK HOWSON: Stafanie Taylor is injured and Deandra Dottin has retired. Without their superstars around to bail them out, the Windies' young pretenders are growing on the international stage

If there was ever a case for bilateral series to be played over a best-of format, unengaged critics may have taken one look at England's trip to the West Indies and dismissed the idea of fourth and fifth matches rounding off this one-sided white-ball tour.

Pulling meaningless matches, with the tourists capturing victory in both ODI and T20I series with two matches to spare, would hardly have put out ticketholders, who are few and far between, or fans watching remotely.

Among the regrets both boards will have regarding this series is the lack of notice supporters were given. Fixtures were confirmed on November 3, just over four weeks before the first ODI in Antigua. West Indies v England, at any level, deserves better.

The challenges of watching this series don't stop there. In the UK, you'd be worthy of a nomination for the New Year Honours list if you're able to find BT Sport 5, a red button service which kept this series hidden away while the main channels show UFC, basketball and hockey.

You will likely have already read criticism of the coverage of this series, so I shall resist in adding to it. But it's perfectly ok to demand better from a sector of the sport that is no longer an emerging market but is guaranteed to deliver a return on your investment.

^{Hayley Matthew led her team with aplomb (Randy Brooks/CWI)}

But, I digress. West Indies and England no longer have silverware to play for, but so much more. The visitors' head coach Jon Lewis is using this trip as a way of both learning about his squad, and shaping it for the T20 World Cup. It is simultaneously his first sighter and his last, before the tournament in South Africa. These extra games mean something.

And they might even be more important for West Indies. With Stafanie Taylor injured, Deandra Dottin retired and Hayley Matthews needing support, the backbone of the squad that won the T20 World Cup six years ago has been partly dismantled.

This is a group that needs an injection of confidence. One T20 series victory in the last seven, dating back to May 2019, and a single victory in 2022 is an accurate reflection of a steady decline. A single win at the T20 World Cup, against Thailand, and failure to reach the last four was a feeble return. There is every chance the pain might continue in February in a tough-looking Group B.

Five more matches to develop the new breed is therefore a priceless opportunity. This was an eighth T20I for Cherry-Ann Fraser, 23, a second (for the Windies) for Treshan Holder, 19, a third for fellow-teen Djenaba Joseph, a first for Kaysia Schultz; Rashada Williams has now played nine and Sheneta Grimmond has 13 caps.

The one-day internationals were not very fun. The T20Is, however, have offered more of an opportunity to play with freedom and while the outcomes have been familiar, the matches have been much, much tougher fought.

It was a far from polished performance in the field (Randy Brooks/CWI)

Speaking after the third T20I, which confirmed another series defeat, head coach Courtney Walsh said: "I am pleased with what I am seeing with the bigger picture of what lies ahead."

When you're instilling an inexperienced, young group with the freedom to express themselves, focusing on the process rather than results, talent will come to the fore.

This was the most impressive bowling performance of the tour thus far. It is worth noting that England were not at their best, perhaps with half an eye on a few days of exploring Barbados and returning home for Christmas with both series sown up, and their batting display was littered with average shots.

It would be unfair to ignore the West Indies' effort, the comeback in the second half of the innings and pinning down and restricting one of the best teams around. It was a patchy, less-than-perfect fielding display, with misfields and dropped catches regular occurrences, but there is plenty to build on.

England's class shone through in the chase (Randy Brooks/CWI)

Fraser was inspired, producing her best international figures as the sixth bowling option. After Sophia Dunkley holed out to Hayley Matthews, Maia Bouchier was caught easily and Heather Knight slashed recklessly and was snaffled behind the stumps.

That opening three-wicket burst and England were 86 for 7 in with six overs left. It was a four-over counterattack which will provide Walsh with plenty of encouragement.

Fraser was word-perfect in Barbados. She mixed up her lengths, bowling full and wide to frustrate the England batters. With a smooth run-up and skills at the death, she has the foundations to develop from. Just a look at her track training on Instagram tells you she has the work ethic to build upon them, too.

Dropped catches off Katherine Brunt and Charlie Dean denied her a maiden five-for as England stumbled their way to 131 for 8, a total that flattered them to be totally honest.

The tourists can make it eight wins from eight on Thursday (Randy Brooks/CWI)

On the international stage, how often you can sustain your top level and keep hitting your ceiling, defines you. Australia have developed a way of bettering themselves over a long period, evolving their team and setting new standards. In dispatches, England and India have kept up with them but they are one of the most elusive sides in world sport.

The Windies have learned a tough lesson in these four matches that flashes of brilliance won't be enough against high-calibre opponents. England were clinical in defending 132, the only moment of disappointment coming as Lauren Bell realised she would not be collecting a five-for due to the injury suffered by Shabika Gajnabi.

Two new franchise competitions at home, an increase in opportunities overseas and an 18-strong group of contracted players is a solid base from which to build. South Africa in 2023 comes too soon, and evidence of improvement may not be visible until Bangladesh in 2024 or England in 2026.

These two sides will conclude a run of eight matches in two-and-a-half weeks on Thursday (December 22), 51 days before they meet again in their opening game of the T20 World Cup at Boland Park.

That will be another valuable experience, too.

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